1

June

2017

Growing Agribusiness Jobs across the Territory

4 July 2017

Minister for Primary Industry and Resources, Ken Vowles, today announced the awarding of $1.55 million over the next three years, to support the NT Farmers Association and grow jobs across the NT.

Mr Vowles said the funding will provide NT Farmers with the resources required to foster innovation and sustainability, and deliver the skills required to develop the sector.

“I’m especially thrilled to announce funding for NT Farmers to put on a permanent Horticultural Industry Development Officer in Katherine, this is a great step towards our election commitment to develop Katherine as a major agribusi-ness, commodities and logistics hub,” Mr Vowles said.

“This will assist horticultural producers to access new markets, diversity and explore alternative crops, and improve farm biosecurity and labour practices, which will in turn increase production and return to the local economy.

“The Territory Labor Government has a vision for Katherine, centred on its strategic logistical location and abundant natural resources and pastoral land.

“Investing in strategic resources to develop Katherine’s agribusiness is the smart thing to do, to create jobs and oppor-tunities for the long term” Mr Vowles said.

The funding also secures the NT Farmers a Workforce Planning Coordinator to help better plan for seasonal labour, including the investigation of an NT-based pilot project to attract international workers through a specific horticultural visa.

The Territory’s mango industry has also received funding for a Mango Industry Development officer, to be based in Darwin, to further develop and expand the NT’s biggest horticultural industry.

Member for Katherine, Sandra Nelson, said the funding for a Katherine-based Development officer is fantastic news for the region.

“Katherine is ideally placed to become one of the nation’s great agribusiness hubs, and this will drive jobs, economic development and will attract families and workers to the area,” Ms Nelson said.

Simon Smith, President of NT Farmers, says the funding is strategic and targeted to meet the specific needs of indus-try.

“Reliable labour has been identified as the single biggest issue for the horticulture industry and

the funding for a Workforce Planning Coordinator will help to streamline and develop NT-based

solutions to labour shortages and to grow our industry,” Mr Smith said.

Media Contact – Lesley Major – 0419 288 284

Source: http://newsroom.nt.gov.au/mediaRelease/23378

Minister for Primary Industry

and Resources, Ken Vowles

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From the Acting CEO

Hi Everyone,

NT Farmers is excited with the funding announcement from Minister for the 3 IDO positions for the next 3 years that will enable your associa-tion to deliver a wider range of industry development services to agri-businesses across the NT. The investment in NTFA by the NT Govern-ment for a Workplace Planning Coordinator, Plant Industries Develop-ment officer for the Katherine Region and the Mango Industry Business Development Officer will allow us to continue to develop the Northern Australia horticulture and agriculture sectors.

What a crazy busy time the dry season is already! It’s our peak growing season for vegetables and melons, the mangoes are flowering and harvest has started on some of the green varieties, some KP’s are starting to size up in the early orchards. Nursery and landscape businesses are taking advantage of the magnificent weather and the markets around the Dar-win, Palmerston and rural area are full of producers, market stalls, locals and tourists.

NT Farmers has a lot of events and engagements coming up over the next 2 months before the mango harvest is in full swing. Make sure you check out the calendar on the front page of our NTFA e-news to check what’s on.

The VegNet IPM seminar and field day were held in the last week of June and we were fortunate in having Dupont sponsor Paul Horne and Angelica Cameron from IPM technologies to deliver a seminar on the finer points of IPM at Coolalinga and at our IPM field day at Coastal Plains Research Station on their return from Katherine two days later.

July is shaping up to be just as busy. The Darwin ABARES Regional Outlook conference is on the 5 July with NT Farmers board members and growers giving presentations on aspects of Northern Horticultural production. This connects well with NT Farmers Food Futures Roadshow in Katherine on 12 July where growers and agribusiness in the Katherine region get their opportunity to engage in the Developing Northern Australia conversation. Agribusiness in the Katherine region is a focus of the current NT Government and development in this region is seen as a key driver for the future of the NT economy. It is important that Katherine region farmers and existing agri-businesses participate in the process and ensure proposed development fits with the economic, social and environmental aspirations of the region.

NT Farmers staff will also be giving a presentation to the Territory Natural Resource Management (TNRM) Top End Forum on 27 July on how our VegNet project, especially the IPM work, is contrib-uting to encouraging and building capacity in Sustainable Agricultural Production in the Top End. TNRM is contributing to the IPM demo site at Coastal plains and is a key partner for developing sustainable farming systems in the NT.

The Mango Pre-season meetings presented by NTMIA and AMIA are coming in early August. These meetings provide growers with a lot of information about what is happening in the current season. This year GROWCOM Fair Farms Workshops, which goes into detail on farms being up to speed on all the current workplace relations issues, will be held in conjunction with mango preseason. There will also be a limited number of places for farms to register for a one-on-one HR Farm Risk assessment from this Fair Farms team in both Katherine and Darwin.

The Federal government initiative to assist local unemployed to partici-pate in seasonal work is being rolled out across Australia in the next couple of months. The Seasonal Work Incentives for Job Seekers Trial will be running a workshop at NT Farmers on July 19 for grow-ers who are interested in the program.

The Workplace Coordinator pilot project will finish this month and NT Farmers is in negotiation with the NT Government to continue the project for growers. NT Farmers would like to acknowledge the great work Aisla Connolly has done on helping our growers and hos-pitality businesses with the difficult application and implementation process for the Seasonal Worker program and getting the concerns and suggestions of growers back to the program bosses in Canberra. The new funding will allow the continuation for NTFA to provide grower services in labour and employment issues for the next 3 years. The Magpie Geese R&D project enters its second season. Mango growers were presented with some insights into the geese’s individual and flock behaviour from last season tagging and tracking. Project part-ners are already modifying their scaring techniques from this infor-mation. This work will continue this season and will point the way to refining our strategies of dealing with the impact of these birds in or-chards and on other farms. The Minister’s announcement on the lifting of the internal NT re-striction on growing and transport bananas and banana products was most welcome. Permits are no longer necessary to grow, transport and sell bananas in the NT. Biosecurity NT is going to monitor a selected number of sites for another year before the NT can be declared free of this damaging strain of Banana Freckle. We must acknowledge the Ba-nana Freckle response financially impacted on our growers as well as having social impacts on the wider Top End community, and look forward to bananas being a normal part of our every-day tropical life-style again. Water continues to be a big issue for NT Farmers. The association is currently responding to draft water allocation plan for the Western Davenport region in central Australia and participating in the Oolloo and Howard East aquafer water allocation planning process. Most farm-ers in the Darwin Water Control District have completed their water licence applications and are waiting to hear the outcome of those appli-cations. If you still haven’t got your application in, NT Farmers staff are happy to help you through the process. NT Farmers conducted its first FreshCare training in June, another FreshCare FSQ4 training session will be delivered on 6 July. Please contact the NT Farmers office if you are interested in gaining or updat-ing FreshCare accreditation for your farm or packing facility. There are lots of questions about HARPS and we hope to have some good infor-mation on this to growers soon. Trainsafe NT is also conducting Farm Chemical Safety Training at a subsidised price for growers, so now is the time to register if you need to update (every 5 years) or gain this accreditation. Told you it was busy! Wishing all our famers good yields and high prices.

Cheers,

Greg Owens Acting CEO NT Farmers

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From the NT Farmers President We would like to thank Minister for Primary Industry and Re-

sources, Ken Vowles, for his recent announcement that NT Farmers have been awarded $1.55 million over the next

three years to enable us to further develop and promote horticultural growth and employment across the Northern Ter-

ritory.

Following consultation with horticultural stakeholders across the Territory, we submitted a proposal to Government for

funding to support our growers to address the key issues facing plant based industries in the Territory including labour,

regional agriculture development and business innovation.

As a result, NT Farmers has been contracted to deliver a strategic grant funding program to support industry develop-

ment, innovation, adoption and extension.

NT Farmers will deliver three new, three year projects. Each project will require a new full time staff member plus asso-

ciated costs and administration support.

The new positions are a Mango Industry Business Development Officer, a Plant Industry Development Officer based in

Katherine and a Workforce Planning Coordinator.

Not only is this a vote of confidence in our NT Farmers Team but it is also an opportunity to forever change the culture

of how extension is delivered and how industry development is driven in the Northern Territory.

Simon Smith

President, NT Farmers

The Northern Territory’s Economic Future

The Economic Development Framework – the strategy that will guide the Northern Territory economy for the next decade – has been released after a six-month consultation process. It outlines clear, long-term work plans.

The document, released by Chief Minister on June 20, says the NT should play to its strengths: proximity to the fastest-growing economies in the world, abundant natural resources, tremendous tourism potential, an emerging agribusiness sector and world-class education.

Government has a key role to play – in stimulating the economy through capital works programs, forging business, political and social relationships, and investing in people – but it is the private sector that must truly drive the economy forward in a sustaina-ble way. And the EDF recognises that investors want certainty and transparency before they risk their money.

The framework says the Territory has exceptional investment potential. It acknowledges that governments can only spend so much – sustainable economic development and jobs growth relies on private sector investment and entrepreneurship.

The Government wants to use its spending to leverage private investment. It has pledged to promote the Territory as a great

place to invest, and continue to chase major projects and markets for existing industry.

The economic framework was co-designed and developed with business and industry, community groups, the not-for-profit sec-tor, Indigenous organisations and government representatives from across the Territory.

About 240 organisations and 1590 Territorians took part in the consultation process, which included Economic Summits. To ac-cess the documents visit https://economicsummit.nt.gov.au/

Source: Department of Trade, Business and Innovation

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On a recent trip to Central Australia, I had the opportunity to visit Rocky Hill Table Grape Farm and Orange Creek Station, both of which have a significant interest in diversification of their enterprises, to see firsthand the progress being made in Central Australian horticulture.

So I was really pleased to launch Investing in the Horticulture Growth of Central Australia recently, a prospectus to promote and support new opportunities and diversification of crops in Central Australia.

Developing horticultural agribusiness in Central Australia is a key driver of economic development and the prospectus aims to encourage new business and create local jobs, offering advice and opportunities to new investors.

This is a great opportunity to grow and create jobs in Central Australia by highlighting the Territory’s counter-seasonal oppor-tunities to potential investors.

Many crops that grow in the Territory mature earlier than those grown in southern Australian because our production areas are closer to the equator.

This prospectus is a first step for investors to get a basic under-standing of the area, they will then need to conduct more de-tailed investigations and due diligence before investment.

The prospectus covers all of the water control districts in Central Australia including Alice Springs, Ti Tree, Western Davenport, Tennant Creek and the Great Artesian Basin, detailing local in-formation on climate conditions, water quality and availability, advantages of Central Australia for investment, potential crops, key infrastructure, topography, land tenure and detailed infor-mation on key precincts for development.

As part of Budget 2017, we also announced almost $10 million to identify potential productive land for future use in regional areas through the Mapping the Future program, mapping soil, water and biodiversity assets across the Territory.

The prospectus was developed by the Central Australian Horti-cultural Development Project team in consultation with the Cen-tral Australian Development Office (CADO), with two of the main horticultural enterprises in Central Australia, Desert Springs Melons from Ali Curung, and Rocky Hill Table Grapes from Alice Springs, agreeing to be included as case studies of successful investment.

The Investing in the Horticulture Growth of Central Austral-ia prospectus is available at www.dpir.nt.gov.au/primary-industry/agricultural-developments/plant-industries-development

A five-year project funded by NT Government and Horticul-ture Innovation Australia has recently finished, with the hopes of extending the Top End’s mango season.

Who wouldn’t like a year-round mango season?

And while we might not have 12 months of mangoes just yet, the research has discovered the best methods to en-courage early flowering and fruit.

Researchers have found that while climate is still the biggest factor in producing early flowering, successful manipulation of flowering can be influenced by different chemical treat-ments that reduce tree vigour, reset flushing patterns and stimulate floral induction.

Darwin has unique growing conditions for mangoes so the research findings are specific to Darwin conditions and will need to be modified for use in other regions.

The mango industry is an important contributor to the Northern Territory economy.

The Northern Territory has more than 6,500 ha of mango orchards and produces about 4 million trays, or 32,000 tonnes of mangoes each year, representing about half of the national crop.

Also coming up in the Top End, a seminar and field day on Integrated Pest Management, in conjunction with NT Farm-ers and Horticulture Innovation Australia.

The seminar features two guest speakers with extensive knowledge and experience in IPM at the NT Farmer’s Office at the Coolalinga Shopping Centre NT.

The field day is at the Coastal Plains Research Farm, Anzac Parade Middle Point, and includes a field walk, identification of pests and beneficial insects as well as discussion of IMP strategies with IPM technologies.

IPM is an economical, sustainable way to prevent, control and manage pests and I encourage all NT Farmers to get along to find out more.

From the Minister

The Hon. Ken Vowles

Minister for Primary Industry

and Resources

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FROM THE

WORKFORCE PLANNING COORDINATOR

Wow that year disappeared quick! The Seasonal Worker Program Pilot Project has come to an end. The engagement with NT Farmers Associa-tion members included case management of business-es applying for the SWP, information sessions/presentations, regular articles in the NT Farmers Asso-ciation electronic newsletter and farm visits. The hospitality industry has not been as engaging, as their need is not as severe as the horticulture industry. They have ease of access to working holiday makers without the administration burden or labour market testing. The Governments recent announcement on the 457 visa abolishment and replacement proves the Govern-ment’s stance on protecting and making accessible jobs for Australians. There are programs available which may suit your business; Youth Jobs Path Pro-gram and seasonal worker incentives see further infor-mation within this newsletter. The engagement had with the Timor Leste Govern-ment was positive, they use continuous improvement processes. The representatives sent to Australia are thoroughly tested and trained for the seasonal worker program. With feedback provided future training will provide higher quality seasonal workers. The number of employers using the SWP has in-creased, some employers are accessing the program via Labour Hire Contractors. The number of seasonal workers to the NT has increased, including the number from Timor Leste. Remember that the NT Farmers Coolalinga Office is available to use for On Arrival Briefings and resources can be accessed on the web-site. Industry Skills Advisory Council of the NT (ISACNT) are undertaking the task of creating a Workforce Plan for the NT horticulture industry. ISACNT Officers may con-tact you within the next few months to gain the data including prospective workforce requirements. This information will assist the industry to prove the numbers of workers required, when and where, which will be a reference to Government for future programs including visa’s.

Fair Farms Initiative will be rolled out in the NT commencing in August 2017. This is an accreditation program which will assist your business to be pre-approved for programs like the SWP. It is highly recommended and is an elective mod-ule of Freshcare. The Recruitment Consultancy Services Association are aim-ing to get national accreditation of Labour Hire Companies, it is recommended to thoroughly check Labour Hire Compa-nies through this method in the future, in the meantime do the following; run an ABN search to find out how long they have been in business and where, ask around, ask to see their documentation; contract, induction, timesheets, refer-ence and visa checking processes. The Fair Work Commission has announced a 3.3% increase to minimum wages following its 2017 Annual Wage Review. The increase applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2017, this includes the Horticulture Award 2010. NT Farmers will update this information on our web-site when it is available—http://www.ntfarmers.org.au/blog/sam-

tocknell/horticulture-award-effective-1-july-2017-new-penalty-rates

For those who have participated in the project, thank you, I trust you will benefit from having seasonal workers on farm, please share your experience with others. I have enjoyed my time here, I wish all of you the best of luck for future harvest seasons.

Aisla Connolly and Seasonal Worker Program

participants in Katherine

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Seasonal Work Incentives Trial

What is the Seasonal Work Incentives for Job Seekers Trial?

The Australian Government is introducing the Seasonal Work Incentives Trial on 1 July 2017 to help meet the seasonal labour demands of horticultural growers. The two year trial aims to encourage job seekers to take up short term work placements of six weeks by providing them with an opportunity to earn addi-tional income without affecting their income support payments.

FREE Information Session

4:30 pm on Wednesday 19 July

NT Farmers Meeting Room

15A Coolalinga Shopping Centre, Coolalinga

RSVP to SWIT@employment.gov.au

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Northern Australia Food Futures

Conference Takes Top Gong

DARWIN-based specialist event management compa-ny Associated Advertising and Promotions received the highest of accolades at the 2016 Meetings and Events Australia National Awards recently, at the new Sydney International Convention Centre, taking home the Platinum Company Award for the highest national score of all award submissions received in 2016.

Manager Natalie Bell said AA&P was also recognised as the NT winner and the national winner, in the Asso-ciation or Government Meeting of the Year category, for the successful 2016 Northern Australia Food Fu-tures Conference, hosted by NT Farmers Association in Darwin in April 2016.

"We were delighted and humbled to have won our category, especially as we were competing against some of the biggest and most established names in the business,” she said.

The annual MEA awards are the premier accolade of best industry management practice and outstanding performance in the Australian meetings and events industry, recognising 37 company and individual awards.

Ms Bell said the awards were not only extremely im-portant in recognising excellence in the events indus-try but also acknowledging the partnerships and joint effort that makes delivering successful events and conferences possible.

"We couldn't do what we do without having close working partnerships with our clients, such as NT Farmers, our world class venues such as the Darwin Convention Centre, and local industry suppliers such as Fusion Displays.”

She said the AA&P team was proud to see the North-ern Australia Food Futures conference recognised at the highest level.

Banana Freckle restrictions have been lifted across the NT, which makes Rum Jungle Organics' Julie Murphy, Dave Shelton and Alan Petersen very happy. PICTURE: Patrina Malone

Northern Territory declared banana freckle free BY: ASHLEY MANICAROS and LAUREN ROBERTS

The Territory is now banana freckle free despite 300 iden-tified properties that need to be continually tested.

The announcement yesterday ended a four-year ban that played havoc on the livelihoods of those in the $5 million agricultural industry.

Primary Industry Minister Ken Vowles said in the next couple of weeks the department would be lifting all bans on growing bananas.

“Currently we have six -restricted zones. Once we go through the parliamentary process and we gazette it, peo-ple will be able to buy bananas from nursery and move them across the Territory,” he said. “Banana growers can celebrate and people who want them in their back yards again can.”

Rum Jungle Organics’ Alan Petersen and Julie Murphy said the lifting of the ban could not come quickly enough.

“Bananas were, before the freckle, the main commodity we sold,” Mr Peterson said. “It was devastating. We ... both turn 60 this year and we had been working and re-searching on how to get them to grow organically in our climate and our soils, and just when we thought we had the recipe sorted out, the rug was pulled out and we had no income. Julie had to go back to work and we spent all our superannuation to stay there and now we are waiting for an income. Lifting the ban is pretty exciting for us. It took us nearly two years before we got paw paws up to replace the bananas.”

The NT Farmers Association acting Chief Executive Of-ficer, Greg Owens said lifting the ban allowed the farm-ing community to get back on to a full commercial basis and really plan where they wanted to take their industry in the future. He said there were two parts to the banana industry in the NT. These were market gardeners and the commercial side.

“The market gardeners add to the variety of our prod-ucts,” he said. “Then there is the larger commercial growers.”

Mr Vowles said if banana freckle is found again then the industry will have to go through the ban process again.

Source: http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/northern-territory/northern-territory-declared-banana-freckle-free/news-story/eee67f2323b8d6656580a59ece3e15dd

Events and market-

ing co-ordinator

Katie Connolly,

events and PR

manager Natalie

Bell, NT Farmers'

Ian Baker, events

and marketing co-

ordinator Kamila

Petreckova and

director Claire Bell .

Source: https://

www.ruralweekly.co

m.au/news/

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2017 TNRM Conference NRM, it starts with you!

The 2017 TNRM Conference will be held from 21-23 Novem-ber 2017 at the Vibe Hotel and Darwin Convention Centre. This year’s conference will deliver exciting new interactive workshops, presentations, field trips and opportunities for dele-gates and event partners to meet and network. We are pleased to announce that abstract submissions for the 2017 TNRM Conference are now open! Do you have an NRM project or story you would like to share with the NRM and wider Territory community? Submit an ab-stract today! We are accepting abstract submissions for presentations to be delivered at the conference and posters to be showcased at the conference. To submit an abstract, please visit our website at https://www.tnrmconference.org.au/abstracts

We look forward to receiving your submissions! Further information on the conference program will be coming

soon – so keep an eye on our website for more details!

NT Fracking Inquiry Seeks More Science

A further investigation into the economic impact of the poten-tial gas industry in the Northern Territory on agriculture, horti-culture and the pastoral industries is to be undertaken.

Chair of the NT Government Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing, Justice Rachel Pepper, has commissioned ACIL Allen Consulting Pty Ltd to assess scientific evidence to deter-mine the actual and potential, direct and indirect, economic impact and environmental risks associated with on-shore frack-ing of shale gas reservoirs.

The ACIL Allen report is expected to identify gaps in scientific knowledge and causes of environmental risk, as well as the impact on social and cultural conditions of fracking operations within the NT. The report is due on 1st September 2017 allow-ing the Scientific Inquiry to hand down its report to the Gov-ernment by the end of the year.

The decision follows the first round of community consultation which concluded in March. A second round of community consultations will occur after the Inquiry hands down its inter-im report mid-year. Justice Pepper has called for facts not emotion to be put forward in submissions.

Pastoralists voiced concerns regarding the risk of chemical con-tamination of water supplies caused by fracking. They called for evidence assuring that water security will be maintained.

Pastoralists further submitted that the inequity of bargaining power between energy companies and individual farmers has prevented fair outcomes from land-access negotiations made before the moratorium was imposed in September 2016.

The Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association has called for landowners to have the right to veto any proposed fracking development. However, the recent Productivity Commission report into the regulation of agriculture recommends instead, improvements to regulation governing resource exploration and extraction rights.

The territory-wide moratorium banned on-shore fracking with the Government stating its removal is contingent on energy companies gaining the trust of the agricultural industry and community.

Energy companies, however, have assured that the risks of fracking can be significantly mitigated by adherence to guide-lines ensuring safe extraction, and prohibiting the use of high-risk fracking fluids. It has also been submitted that the Territory cannot afford not to frack, given its rising budget deficit of $875 million.

In 2015, a Deloitte Access Economics Report commissioned by the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Associa-tion found that onshore gas could generate $1 billion in revenue over the next 20 years and 6000 jobs. However, the Australia Institute has argued that the economic benefits will be much less significant, given the capital-intensive nature of the indus-try and the fact that most workers will be fly-in-fly-out work-ers.

Jeremy Fisher

Principal

Kingfisher Law - Agribusiness and Water Lawyers

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10

Top End Growers using Native Predators to Eat Bugs Causing Havoc on their Crops

ABC News: By Mitchell Abram

Farmers in Darwin are using native bugs as a way to reduce pests as part of a new program that is showing promising results.

At a field day at the Coastal Plains Research Farm, roughly 60 kilometres south-east of Darwin, growers showed off demonstra-tion crops that use predator insects to deal with pests like aphids and two-spotted mites.

"The idea of the demonstration plot is to show growers the [predatory insects] they can identify on their own properties and try and use techniques where they build them up rather than taking them out," NT Farmers CEO Greg Owens said.

Mr Owens said while it was a change from traditional pest-control methods, it was an environmentally friendly option and meant farmers were not becoming completely dependent on insecticides.

"Using the native predators that will attack our pest insects is one method of controlling the pests on the crop other than using broad spectrum insecticide sprays," he said.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technologies pest control method aims to minimise the use of chemicals in an effort to re-duce environmental impacts and costs to farmers.

Mr Owens said his program was different to other approaches to pest management, like the cane toad, which have wreaked hav-oc on some Australian crops.

"The good thing about IPM is that they [the predators] will move out into their native food sources which are in the bush any-way," he said.

"These are native animals, they increase in numbers and decrease as the food supply changes."

Farmer Simon Smith said the program had radically changed the way he managed pests at his commercial nursery in Howard Springs.

"We haven't used a chemical in seven years on any of the plants we grow," he said.

IPM CEO Paul Horne said his company promoted natural pest control alongside the use of insecticides.

"There becomes a problem when the pests become tolerant or resistant to pesticides," he said.

"If those products that are being used also kill the natural enemies of the pest, the situation that the farmer encounters is that they're planting a crop that the pest can feed on, but there's no natural enemies and the chemicals don't kill them ... the pests just reproduce very rapidly and problems get out of control."

Mr Horne said some farmers in the Territory have already started using his method, and he hoped to work with them to maxim-ise the result.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-29/farmers-using-native-predators-to-eat-

Aphid numbers on this snake bean were reduced after a week of exposure to the native bug eating

method. (ABC News: Mitchell Abram)

Demonstration crops at the Coastal Plains Research Farm (ABC News: Mitchell Abram)

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Plastic waste is everyone’s problem

Images of plastic waste littering a beautiful view is the only reali-ty check most people need to prompt thoughtful disposal of recyclables. But, what happens to used agvet chemical contain-ers?

Since drumMUSTER started operations in 1998, the national re-cycling collection program has saved more than 29 million agvet chemical containers from landfill, a volume of more than 500 gigalitres, bigger than Sydney Harbour!

Today, more than 800 collection sites take in empty, clean chemical containers displaying the drumMUSTER logo, with sites established on council lands and rural equipment suppliers around Australia.

But there’s always room for more collectors. By hosting a drum-MUSTER collection site, businesses and community groups demonstrate a commitment to environmental safety in their region.

More than 140 groups such as local charities, fire authorities, service clubs, schools, sporting clubs and Landcare groups have turned in more than four million drums and raised more than $1 million between them.

Placing a collection cage outside a business is good business as it encourages more traffic as drumMUSTER donors use the dispos-al site then replace the empty containers with new products: drums in, sales out.

Hosting a drumMUSTER service has multiple benefits. It can stim-ulate discussion on the significance of recycling used containers and why it’s important to have collection sites for used agvet drums throughout regional Australia.

It boils down to reducing the amount of plastic and metal taking up space in rubbish dumps.

Every Australian generates more than 2000kg of waste each year and that volume is growing fast. The majority of waste not recy-cled or reused goes to landfill and that figure is growing with well over 20 million tonnes dumped annually in Australia.

Landfill waste has the potential to contaminate soil and ground-water and emit greenhouse and toxic gasses, so committing non-biodegradable plastic to recycling diverts that waste into worthy, practical products.

Plastics make up the majority of agvet containers and those in the 1 to 205-litre capacity and displaying the drumMUSTER logo, have a suitable recycling pathway aimed at reducing Australia’s carbon emissions and conserving our resources.

Once the stored, empty, clean containers are collected, they are shredded and granulated, processed into pellets via heat extru-sion, then sold to manufacturers to make wheelie bins, fencing, pipes, bollards, road markers and public furniture.

To date, drumMUSTER has saved more than 300,000 cubic me-tres of unwanted plastic from entering landfill sites, and that diversion of containers into recycling programs has saved Aus-tralian local councils a massive $24 million on land costs for waste management purposes.

Allan McGann, drumMUSTER National Program Manager, said there was always room for more local groups and suppliers to get involved.

“Community groups have played a significant role in drumMUS-TER’s success … they’re supported by reseller collections who donate their inspection fee to local charities,” he said.

Businesses and the agvet chemical users who frequent drum-MUSTER sites are setting a good example of how the simple act of recycling can keep land and waterways cleaner and litter-free, and families safer.

Eligible containers are those that display the drumMUSTER logo on the label or container and contain products for - agricultural and livestock production, industrial and recreational pest and weed control, forestry and household pest control operations.

To find out more about hosting a drumMUSTER site, businesses

and community groups can call 1800 008 707 or visit

www.drummuster.org.au

If you need more information about the drumMUSTER pro-gram: email drummuster@ntfarmers.org.au To find your local collection site click on: http://www.drummuster.com.au/find-a-collecion-site/ To register to dispose of unwanted agvet chemicals go to www.chemclear.com.au

Agvet containters collected by drumMUSTER are recycled into items

such as wheelie bins, fencing, pipes, bollard and public furniture

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Office Renovations

Our office renovation is finished! Thanks for bearing with us while we were in disarray! Pop in and say “Hi!” and check out our new look— we love it!

NT Farmers would like to thank the Department of Trade Business and Innovation for their gen-erosity in providing us with an Immediate Works Grant.

drumMUSTER

NT Farmers is contracted by Agsafe limited to provide support services for the drumMUSTER program in the Northern Territo-ry and east Kimberly region of WA.

drumMUSTER provides Agricultural and veterinary chemical users with a recycling pathway for cleaned eligible empty chem-ical containers. A reminder that there are a number of drumMUSTER Collection sites in the Northern Territory.

Call ahead to make a delivery:

Humpty Doo Transfer Station Spencely Street, Humpty Doo (08) 8983 0652

NT Recycling Depot 19 Pruen Road, Berrimah (08) 8947 2721

Katherine Transfer Station Novis Quarry Road, Katherine (08) 8971 2014

Douglas Daly Research Facility Jungwa Road, Douglas Daly (08) 8978 2442

drumMUSTER provides an easy, environmentally-friendly way of disposing of empty farming chemical containers across rural Australia. For eligible containers to be accepted they must be;

• Rinsed until free of any visible chemical residue • Clean and dry; punctured if they are metal • With All lids removed • Inspected by an authorised drumMUSTER inspector

If you need more information about the drumMUSTER pro-gram: email drummuster@ntfarmers.org.au To find your local collection site click on: http://www.drummuster.com.au/find-a-collecion-site/ To register to dispose of unwanted agvet chemicals go to www.chemclear.com.au

Above—our old meeting room before renovations and below—our

new meeting room below

Our beautiful new kitchen below

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Important information

on the updated

Horticulture Code of

Conduct

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